Single machine units improve access to radiotherapy for Vic rural and regional cancer patients

A joint Victorian and Federal Government initiative to extend radiotherapy services to rural and regional areas has proven highly successful and could be considered as a model for other parts of Australia.

Dr Mary Turner from the Victorian Department of Health said that the single machine unit radiotherapy trial had shown substantial benefits in the three regional areas where the services had been established.

The innovative “hub and spoke” model involved centres in Ballarat, Bendigo and Taralgon being supervised by established metropolitan radiotherapy operators. The services supplemented existing double machine units at Wodonga and Geelong.

“The services worked closely together to ensure each region was able to provide the quality of service expected by cancer patients in metropolitan centres,” Dr Turner said. “We installed video conferencing facilities to make sure that all centres could regularly discuss patient treatment and implement joint education programs.”

Dr Turner said the radiotherapy units were linked with chemotherapy and surgical services, to provide a true multidisciplinary cancer service.

“Evaluation of service quality at the single machine centres showed that the quality was just as good as in the metropolitan hub services,” she said.

The initiative has made an enormous difference in areas where previously, cancer patients would have no choice but to come to the city or a large regional centre for treatment.

“Having radiotherapy treatment is physically and emotionally demanding and cancer patients cope better when they can get their treatment closer to their families and in more familiar surroundings.

“In each of the trial locations community clubs contributed to building accommodation for patients undergoing treatment.”